Pieces of You (10 page)

Chapter 12

Three weeks have passed, and we have been inseparable. Well, as best as we can considering she's in the middle of flipping another house in the city. Every weekend she stays here, we still haven't made love, but we do sleep together touching and caressing each other every chance we get.

Tonight we are going to The Shake. Well, Riley will be meeting me there after she meets with her tenants. The Band is playing and it's my first time back since I was hit over the head with the bottle.

I pull into the parking lot and throw the car into park. Stepping out, I walk slowly toward the bar. Princess smiles when he sees me approaching.

"TURTLE! So glad to see you, my friend!" he calls out and opens the rope for me. I reach out my hand and we shake. "You've gotta be all healed now. You feeling good?"

My hand travels to the spot where I was hit and I nod. "Feeling pretty good. I think that most of the glue is gone now."

"Good. Good." Princess smiles. "Go inside. The crew will be happy to see you."

"Sounds good. Oh and hey, I have a friend coming tonight. Make sure they get in okay?"

"Who is it?"

I ignore his question and wander into the bar. It's still early so not many people are here yet. Looking across the bar, I see The Band and Trina. Her eyes light up the minute she sees me, and she rushes out from behind the bar.

"It's so good to see you! I was wondering when I would see you again, handsome." She wraps her arms around me and stretches up on her tiptoes. I'd be lying if I said her breasts pressing against me wasn't exciting. They feel amazing.

I place my hands on her shoulders and step back. "It's nice to see you too," I reply and remove my hands from her arms. She offers me a look of puzzlement.

Tim raises his beer, still unsure whether or not he should approach me after my hospital release. I can't say I blame him, but he doesn't know what I did after. How he pushed me to move on and make the best decision of my life. Stepping around Trina, I leave her behind as I walk toward him.

"How's it going, man? I haven't seen you in a couple of weeks. I thought the concussion got ya," he says with disinterest and takes a drink from his long neck bottle.

"If you were that concerned, man, why didn't you call?" Trina returns to her place behind the bar and slams a beer down in front of me before walking away. I shake my head, and Tim looks between us.

"What's going on here?" he asks suspiciously.

"Nothin'," I reply and take another pull from my bottle. "Expecting a big crowd tonight?" I ask as I turn to see the stage set up somewhat differently, and there's a couple of new bouncers scattered around the bar.

"Since you were hit, we couldn't risk it again. The owners figured they didn't want any lawsuits from guys like you just helping out, so they actually hired more people. You aren't gonna sue them are you?" Princess asks me as he walks up with Riley on his arm. "I think I found your friend."

"Hi, baby." I cup her cheeks with my hands, kissing her lips. It feels like the world goes silent and it's just the two of us. I hear Princess cheer behind me, before he claps me on the back and returns to his post at the door.

Linking pinkies, Riley joins me at the bar and takes a drink from my bottle. Tim's mouth hasn't closed yet, he stares at us in bemusement. "Trina, a beer for my girl please," I order.

A look of understanding covers her face, and she nods sadly. "Sure thing, Ty." She takes a cold one from the small fridge and delivers it to Riley. "I'm Trina. You're a lucky lady. He's a really good guy."

Riley smiles and blinks in my direction. "Thank you, Trina. I'm Riley. He is a very good man."

"Okay, what?" Tim asks me and I almost laugh beer out of my nose.

"This is because of you. That day you dropped me off and told me I was being stupid, I took a look at myself and decided to change."

"So you just changed?" He shakes his head. "You can't just change."

"You're right and I'm still working on fixing myself, but I…" Riley takes my hand and squeezes. "We drove out and said goodbye to Mel."

This gets his attention, and he stands up looking me in the eye. "How? I was there the day her dad went ballistic on you in the hospital. You were never supposed to know where she was. You were never to see her resting place."

"I called and asked permission from her mom. Had he answered the phone, I never would have asked. I would still be in the horrible state of self-loathing that I was in." I lift the bottle to my mouth and wrap my arm around Riley. "Anyways, here we are."

"It's about damn time. Welcome back, Ty!" He raises his bottle and winks at Riley. "You sure you want this?"

She smiles and hip-checks me playfully. "Ah, it will pass the time."

It doesn't take long before the crowd starts to fill The Shake, the sound of voices rises above the sound of music. It doesn't take long before the DJ turns up the volume slightly.

As the people at the bar get more demanding, Trina is running off of her feet and has little time to chat with us. However, I do catch her looking over her shoulder and offering a sad smile. I wonder how different things would have been had I not gone back outside but instead stayed in asking her out like Tim suggested that night.

The Band heads to the stage and the crowd follows them and erupts in cheers and screams. Riley and I step closer, she stands in front of me and I tuck my thumbs in her front pockets. With her back pressed to my front, together we sway to the music.

My lips find her neck, and her hands reach up and touch my hair. Turning her body, she presses her mouth to mine. Swiping at my lips with her tongue. Her fingers dance in my facial hair and her body presses seductively into mine.

Looking into her eyes, I know I've made the right choice and nothing else matters. "Wanna get out of here?" I whisper into her ear and trace the length of her neck with my fingertips. Her eyes close and she nods.

"Take me home, Ty. I want you to make love to me." This causes a low growl to erupt from my throat. and I feel her demand all the way through my body. I raise my hand to wave at Tim, who's not paying attention to me anyways and together we leave the bar arm in arm.

I lead Riley past Princess, and to my waiting truck. I open the passenger door and help her into her seat. Her legs part slightly, and her hands find my hair as our mouths connect, and I press in as close as I can to her. "You sure you want to do this?"

"I am, if you are," she answers.

Reluctantly, I pull away and close her door. Walking around the truck, I climb into the cab and start the engine. Pulling out of the parking lot, I drive toward my house full of nervous energy.

* * *

We step into my house, and I take her hand. We've done this a dozen times at least, but this is different. This is the next step, and I am scared shitless. I take a deep breath and expel it before leading her into my bedroom.

Closing the door, we turn and face each other.

Anxious.

Excited.

I lick my lips and nervously run my fingers through her hair. Her eyes close and she leans into my hand. Riley's hands find my face and with her guidance, she leads our mouths together.

Taking my hand, she slowly leads it to cup her breast, and I suck in a sharp breath of air hissing it out as she releases me. My thumb dances over her blouse and I feel her nipple bud below the delicate material of her bra. Bringing my other hand up, I begin the slow process of unbuttoning her blouse, exposing the line of pale skin between her breasts and her navel.

I step back and admire the sight before me. Bringing my lips to her neck, I follow the trail with my tongue. Slowly, I remove the shirt from her body and step back to admire her again. She stands there, breathing heavily with anticipation in her bra and jeans. It's the same soft bra from our trip, but now I see how amazing it looks on her body and the way her nipples pop through the material.

I take a step back and unbutton my shirt, keeping my eyes on her the entire time. I tug on each side, pulling the tails from my denim jeans and push my arms back, allowing it to fall to the floor. Together we stand there looking at each other. Her hand comes up over my stomach muscles causing them to jump. Her long fingers trace the line from my navel to my belt, and I am covered in goosebumps again. Dipping her fingertips in, she tugs at the waistband and pulls me closer. Our lips find each other again, and our bodies press together. My arms wrap around her and undo her bra, letting it fall to the floor, feeling the entire length of her torso against me.

Leading her to the bed, I take my time exploring every inch of her. Worshiping her like she deserves to be worshiped.

Chapter 13

Riley moved into Widow Crawley's house on the first of the month. Her tenants took great care of the property and even had a raised garden with a composter and watering system. They left it behind when they moved out.

I pull up to the house and pick up the bunch of pink carnations I cut from the flower bush behind my house, and I step up onto the porch. Knocking twice I open the door and wipe my feet on the welcome mat, like I always do.

"Ri!" I call out and walk toward the stairs, passing the empty kitchen on my way. I get no response, and I continue on my path through the home. "Ri! Where you at?"

"I'm upstairs. I'll be right down," she yells, and I back step until I reach the kitchen. It's got the limited necessities, coffee maker that makes single cup servings. It's definitely not for me. I drink a pot a day.

I look out the window and I hear her footsteps come down the stairs, they quicken when she reaches the last step and momentarily her tiny arms are around my waist. "Hi, baby," she whispers into my back and hugs tighter.

"Hi," I whisper back. "I brought you a little something."

"You did?" she questions in surprise. "What is it?"

I expose the bunch of flowers and her face lights up. "They're beautiful!" she announces as she brings the bunch to her nose and inhales deeply. Her eyes close and she smiles widely. "They're beautiful. Thank you!" She kisses my cheek and turns to get a vase.

"I thought you needed something to brighten up the place. A small housewarming gift." I explain to her as I sit at the table and follow her every move with my eyes. She's delicate, and I can't keep my eyes off of her, like watching a butterfly in the yard.

Running the water, she fills the vase and places the flowers inside. Pulling them apart gently, they fill the space, and she carries the decoration to the table. Placing it in the center of the table, she looks quite proud of herself as her hand comes up and rests on my shoulder.

"Thanks, babe." Riley bends over and kisses my cheek. She pulls out the chair beside me and sits, taking my hand in hers she leans her head on my shoulder. My hand finds the small of her back. We sit in silence for a spell, not needing to say anything just enjoying each other.

"I'm going to visit my parents next weekend. In Salt Lake City. I was wondering if you would want to come?" She looks up at me with puppy dog eyes. Her thumb rubs lightly across the back of my hand, and I look at her deeply and smile.

I've never had an interest in going to Salt Lake City. I don't know why, but it just really has never held my attention. It's a good fifteen hour drive from here if we drive straight through, and I'm still not keen on long interstate trips. "Flying?" I raise my eyebrows and ask her hopefully.

"No, why fly when driving is a ton cheaper and way more fun."

"Since when is a numb ass and cramped legs more fun than flying?" I tease. I know she's right but at the same time I don't know if I can do it. I don't even know if I'm ready to meet her parents.

"Still nervous about long interstate drives, babe?" she asks before standing from her chair and straddling my lap. Her arms rest on my shoulders, and her lips find my neck.

"Honestly? Yeah." I swallow hard and take a breath. "But I think I'm more nervous about meeting your parents. The last parents I met really didn't approve, and I don't think my ego can take it again."

"I've been telling my parents all about you. They are really excited to meet you and I promise that they are nothing like Mel's parents. My dad is the one pushing to meet you." She wiggles slightly while pressing herself onto my lap. I gasp slightly and a low moan erupts from my throat.

"I have a really big fear of shot guns and dying. They aren't very high on my list of things to do," I whisper causing her to laugh.

"You don't have to worry about that. My daddy doesn't have a gun. He doesn't even know how to use one." She runs her hand down my chest. "Besides, my mom is the one you would have to worry about. She's taken all the shooting lessons. I think she's gotten pretty good."

Pulling my head back I raise an eyebrow at her, which takes her by surprise. "BABY! You finally did it! You raised an eyebrow, without your fingers!"

"Pretty good right?" I beam.

"Amazing, baby! I'm so proud of you!" She wraps her arms tightly around my neck and squeezes. My face finds the spot between her breasts, and it automatically takes comfort in its new resting place.

Thinking about it for a moment. I bite my lip and sigh. "You really want me to go with you, babe?" I ask her knowing full well that she will let me have an out if I need one. She would never force me to do something that I wasn't ready to do.

Resting her head on my shoulder, she tenderly strokes my chest. "Babe, if you don't want to you don't have to. I won't make you do anything if you aren't ready."

Taking a deep breath, I look down at her and smooth her hair. "No, I'll come. I don't know if I am one hundred percent ready for this road trip, but I should be moving on, pressing forward right?"

She doesn't respond. She nuzzles into my neck instead.

"Alright, I'll go. But I don't know if I will be able to share the driving responsibilities. I'm sure you understand that."

"Thank you, baby. I think this will be good for you. Help you heal and move forward." Standing up, she takes my hand in hers and pulls me up. Linking both of our hands, she steps forward and tilts her head up slightly to look at me, and I tilt mine down. Pressing a quick kiss to her lips, I pull back and take notice of her smile. She's glowing.

"You're pretty happy I'm going with you."

"Captain Obvious is in the room." She smirks. "Of course I am. My parents will be thrilled. I've never brought a boy home before."

"Never?"

"No one's been good enough to meet my family. My parents have had no interest in meeting anyone of them either. Until you."

"Wow. That's a lot of pressure."

"Why is that?"

"It makes me feel like I need to be perfect."

"You are," she says and it makes me feel like a million bucks. I've never believed that anyone else would feel the way that Mel did, and this just tops the cake.

Dropping one of my hands, she slowly starts backing up and pulling me behind her. "Where are we going?" I question playfully. She continues walking and turns her back to me, our fingers still locked. "Where are you taking me?"

"Follow me." She sings.

"Why should I do that?" This question causes Riley to stop dead in her tracks. Turning, she raises her eyebrow and leans in.

Whispering she replies, "Because I'm going to take you upstairs to the bedroom and show you just how happy you have made me."

"How happy have I made you?" I offer a crooked smile.

"VERY happy. Now stop asking questions and follow me."

I don't argue. I don't hesitate. I do what I'm asked and follow her up the stairs to the bedroom.

* * *

"I don't want you to go to the city tomorrow. Can't you just take this week off? Do you really need to go look at those houses?" We lay together tangled limbs twisted up in the sheets. Her head is resting on my shoulder, and I'm tracing small lines down her bare arm. My question causes her to roll onto her stomach and cross both arms under her chin.

"Trust me, I'd rather stay here now that I've moved in as well, but I have a few strings in the city. Plus I have to speak with my contractor. The house needs an extensive facelift, and I have to make sure he got all the permits so it can be finished next month."

"That needs to be done tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Why don't you come with me? I could take you to all my haunts and we could have a mini adventure."

"Sorry, love, I can't. I have to rebuild a porch for Sue's restaurant tomorrow, and then I have to go get the paint for her window frames and shutters."

"Work blows. I wish we didn't have to do it."

"Me too, but we have to this week if we are going to go to Salt Lake City next week. How long are we going for, so I can be sure to tell everyone if they need me to do something?"

"How long do you want to go? Three days with two days driving?" She lays back on the pillow, and I sit up contemplating my answer.

"We could do that. I'll take a week off so we can pretend we aren't home for a couple of days after, and we can just stay in bed the whole time." I kiss her belly.

"That is the best suggestion I have heard in a long time." She purrs and pulls me back down onto her. Our chests press together, and our mouths meet. Her lips taste like honey, and she smells like heaven.

Reluctantly, I pull back and rest above her on my elbows. Her fingers run through my hair, and I trace her cheekbone with my thumb. "Why did you accept my phone call when I called to ask you to come with me to see Mel?"

Her nostrils flare slightly with the intake of breath. "I was never really mad at you. I was mad at myself. I had to make myself mad so that I wouldn't try to persuade you just to move on. So you wouldn't hate me."

"I didn't hate you. A couple of days after I got home from my parent's house I had to stop myself from calling you. From trying to find you. I was under the impression that you were very upset with me." I flop back on the pillow and blow out a puff of air. "I knew I couldn't be the man you wanted. I wasn't ready but I didn't realize just how much I wasn't ready until Tim pointed it out to me, in an extremely blunt way."

"Is that so?"

"Truth." I hold up three fingers and smile. "I'm sorry it took so long for me to realize that it was time to move on."

"You took as long as you needed. It wasn't too long, and I know you aren't one hundred percent out of the past, but you are able to move on and you want to move on. That's what counts."

"No, I kept my promise to you. YOU are the one I wanted to move forward with."

We lay here for another hour, talking quietly between ourselves. Just the two of us.